Public Statements

Olson Applauds Appellate Court Ruling on EPA Transport Rule

Statement

Rep. Pete Olson (TX-22) issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Court of Appeals decision to vacate the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Cross State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) as a violation of the Clean Air Act:

"Today's decision was the right one because the EPA exceeded its authority by attempting to implement this rule. I pushed EPA to reconsider this rule when it was finalized last year, because it was unconstitutional and bad for our country. Fortunately, the Court prevented the President and EPA from sidestepping the role of Congress.

"The fact that Texas was wrongfully included in the CSAPR rule at the last minute was reason enough for the Court to vacate the rule. They also correctly ruled that EPA went too far in trying to make Texas pay to clean up pollution blowing in from other states and Mexico. EPA also exceeded their authority by mandating a federal program without giving states the flexibility to implement their own pollution cleanup plans. That's what Congress envisioned when the Clean Air Act was written. The court was right to vacate this rule."